


Face Painting

by stupidnephilimlove



Series: Mundane Experiences [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Face Painting, M/M, and fluff, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-10 18:35:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13507416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stupidnephilimlove/pseuds/stupidnephilimlove
Summary: Magnus throws a party for Madzie.





	Face Painting

“Hold still,” Magnus complains. Though he tries, he knows he doesn’t quite manage to keep the annoyance from his voice. It’s just, Magnus has been working on this for the past fifteen minutes and if Alec will hold still for a few moments longer it will be perfect, but if he twitches his nose like that one more time he’s going to ruin all of Magnus’ hard work.

“It tickles,” Alec grumbles, before petulantly adding, “This is ridiculous.”

With a flourish, Magnus paints one last line, before taking a step back to survey his handiwork. He tilts his head to the side, assessing, there’s just a little something missing.

“Nonsense. Besides, everyone should have their face painted at least once in their life. Wait-” Magnus cuts Alec’s protests off with a raised hand, “shadowhunter disguises don’t count.”

Alec tries to complain again but this time Magnus just levels a look at him and continues.

“Nor does letting Isabelle loose with a makeup brush.”

Alec shuts his mouth quickly, before opening it again. His face flushed with embarrassment, he stumbles over his words.

“H-How?”

“I have my sources.” Neither of them say it, but they both know Magnus’ source is Isabelle and Magnus makes a reminder to warn her that he let that slip. Leaning forward he adds a final swoosh of colour across Alec’s cheek.

“There. Perfect.”

“If you say so.” Alec’s voice might be gruff and annoyed, but Magnus catches the way Alec grins at his reflection in the mirror, the way he lifts a hand to run his fingers across the paint on his face, stopping short when he realises that would smudge it. Finally, Magnus watches as Alec’s eyes are drawn to the tiger ears he’s wearing. Magnus knows that, just like himself, Alec is thinking of their trip to the zoo all those weeks ago.

~

Magnus looks around the loft. It’s decorated with tasteful pink and violet streamers, a table is covered with enough cakes and chocolates that every parent will inwardly groan when they see it. There are flowers and glitter filled balloons in the same hue as the streamers, and Magnus praises himself for a job well done.

“Be thankful I didn’t make you dress up.” Magnus tells Alec. He intends for it to be a joke but the way Alec’s cheeks flush and he scratches at the nape of his neck has Magnus making a mental note to come back to this topic, at a much quieter time, preferably when it’s just the two of them. Alone. Most definitely alone.

When Alec has collected himself, he points at the tiger ears, “What do you call these?”

“Adorable,” and Magnus’ grin breaks out, wide and just a little smug.

Magnus can tell Alec’s trying to think up some comeback but he doesn’t get a chance. They both hear the door opening and when they turn to see Madzie in the doorway all conversation is forgotten. In a puffy dress, with a tiara on her head, her eyes roam the room. Madzie’s hand is still clasped in Catarina’s, but when she spots Magnus and Alec she drags it free and rushes forward.

“Alec,” she says with delight, and Magnus is slightly taken aback. How different Madzie is from when he first brought her to Catarina. Sure, she’s still a little shy, still a little hesitant, but she’s more expressive too and it’s beautiful to see. Though Magnus fully understands Madzie’s delight at seeing Alec. He too, gets quite excited when Alexander walks into the room, though, probably not for the same reason.

For a moment Magnus considers whether he should be offended that Madzie has clearly switched allegiances, but he can’t find it in himself to feel anything other than endeared by the two of them. By the way Alec crouches down to meet Madzie’s rush forward. By the way he opens his arms wide and a smile, the one Magnus has only seen Alec use with Max, brightens his gorgeous face. It’s open and pure and filled with such genuine happiness. Madzie runs into the waiting arms and as Alec enfolds her in a tight hug, he lifts her up, before balancing her on his hip.

“What did you come as, birthday girl?” Alec aks and Madzie tilts her head to look at him.

“I’m a princess,” she says, pointing at the tiara she’s wearing. She announces it in that way that only children can; as if they can’t understand why that question even has to be asked.

“What are you?”

“I’m a tiger,” Alec tells her, pulling a fierce face that has Magnus grinning like a fool.

She considers him for a moment before telling Alec, “You look like a cat.”

Magnus manages to turn his chuckle of laughter into a cough, though perhaps not successfully judging by the way Alec glares at him.

Alec mouths _I told you_ at Magnus, before turning his attention back to Madzie. Magnus knows he’s going to hear about that all night, and possibly all week.

“There’s going to be cake,” Madzie says, “and ice cream.”

“Chocolate as requested,” Magnus assures, and she turns her bright smile on him. Magnus’ heart does a very strange skip in his chest. It just seems to miss a beat and then as if to make up for it, it kind of pounds wildly instead. Magnus looks at Alec and Madzie standing right next to him, surrounded by all their friends and it’s like he’s seeing for the first time. He realises he wants this, but more than that, he’s allowed to want this. Alec and a family.

_Alec and a family._

Magnus has never dared to hope. All these years he’s been taking downworlders under his wing, trying to steer and guide them as best he could. Help them, when there was no one to help him. He’s been building a family, the only one he thought he could have. Now though, in a split second, his whole world has changed. He doesn’t know what Alec wants. Does Alec even want kids? But if he did? If he did they… too soon. Magnus tries to pull his mind back. They’ve been moving at a steady pace, and Magnus knows Alec loves him. He says it often enough. That doesn’t mean they're ready for the kids talk and Magnus is okay with that. _Alec would make a fantastic father._ He _has_ to stop thinking like that.

Alec frowns at him as he sets Madzie down so that she can run off to tell Catarina about the ice cream. It’s such a contrast, that concerned look on Alec’s brightly painted face. No one’s ever worried about him quite like Alexander. No, that’s not right. His eyes drift to Catarina, then Raphael, who he knows care deeply for him. What he really means is that no lover, no partner, has ever shown this same level of care. It’s something else entirely to find yourself the centre of another person’s world, and for them in turn to be the centre of yours. Magnus can’t quite find the words to describe it, because it’s indescribable, it’s unique, it’s something entirely theirs.

“Everything okay?” Alec asks.

 _Perfect_ , Magnus thinks. He doesn’t have a crystal ball to look into, he doesn’t know what the future holds for them, but he senses the potential. He’d kiss Alec right now, if it wouldn’t smudge that beautiful tiger face.

“Everything’s perfect.” And if it only lasts for this moment that’s enough for Magnus.


End file.
